1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an improved container system for products, particularly perishable products such as bananas, and an improved method for packing, shipping and storing products, and, more particularly, to a container system and method which employ a closeable inner container which can be readily opened to provide increased ventilation to the product, an outer container of an optionally improved design, and a means for opening the inner container without a need to access the outer container.
2. Description of Related Art
Most products must be shipped from one point to another prior to their sale to consumers, and are usually stored for a period of time at one or both locations. During shipping and storing, however, ventilation, heating, and/or cooling must often be provided to the products for various reasons. Perishable products such as fruit, for example, may require ventilation and cooling in order to maintain their freshness. Without such ventilation or temperature control means, these products might arrive at their final destination in a spoiled or damaged condition. Thus, it is usually not sufficient to merely package these perishable products in closed containers.
Previous containerization methods for perishable products such as fruits and vegetables have often employed containers having various ventilation means. For example, most fruits are shipped to retailers from the location where they are grown in corrugated boxes having a plurality of ventilation openings. These corrugated boxes not only provide a means for ventilating and controlling the temperature of the fruit, but are also light-weight and relatively inexpensive to manufacture. One drawback of these corrugated containers, however, is that they generally cannot be reused. Thus, any reduction in the amount of materials used in their manufacture is of great value.
Many products such as fruits and vegetables also have ventilation and temperature parameters which must be varied during shipping and storing. Thus, at certain points during the shipping and/or storing periods it may be necessary to increase ventilation, or raise or lower the temperature of the products in order to ensure optimal freshness. One product for which this is particularly true is bananas. Bananas are typically packed into corrugated containers (i.e., boxes) at the plantation where they are harvested in a very green, unripened state. These cardboard boxes are then placed within large shipping containers, which are in turn placed in refrigerated ships. During shipment the pulp temperature of the bananas is kept at a temperature between 56.degree. and 59.degree. F. Once the ship has docked, the bananas are transferred to refrigerated trucks or rail cars, and transported to a warehouse or the like. Once again, the pulp temperature is maintained between 56.degree. and 59.degree. F. in order to retard the ripening of the bananas, thereby prolonging the shelf life of the bananas. In order to maintain this temperature range, it is necessary to provide ventilation means within the cardboard or corrugated boxes. This is typically achieved by providing a plurality of ventilation openings about the surfaces of the boxes. In this fashion cooled air can be circulated within the boxes, thereby maintaining the proper pulp temperature.
Once the bananas have reached the warehouse, the boxes are placed in ripening rooms where the pulp temperature is permitted to rise to about 60.degree. to 62.degree. F. Ethylene gas is also circulated about and within the containers by means of the ventilation openings. The combination of increased temperature and ethylene gas will hasten the ripening process, thereby reducing the time necessary for the bananas to fully ripen. Once this process has been completed, however, it is desirable to remove ethylene gas and decrease the temperature of the bananas in order to decelerate ripening. Since the ripening process within the bananas themselves releases ethylene gas, and since the ripening process will continue even at temperatures below 60.degree. F., it is critical that sufficient ventilation be provided in order to reduce the pulp temperature and remove ethylene. Thus, once the bananas are removed from the ripening rooms and transported to the retailer, it is usually necessary to take steps to ensure that increased ventilation can be provided to the bananas. If the ethylene gas is not removed from the bananas or the temperature is not sufficiently decreased, the bananas will continue to ripen at an accelerated rate, thereby shortening their shelf life. Thus, the containers and packaging employed for bananas must be able to account for the varying ventilation and temperature control needs during the shipping and storing steps.
Other products, including other fruits and vegetables, require similar handling, and may have varying needs during the shipping and storing processes. Thus, there is a need for a container system for products, as well as a method for packing, shipping and storing these products, that will ensure proper shipping and storing conditions. While many of the containers and methods employed in the past have met the needs of producers and retailers, these containers and methods usually required a considerable amount of handling. Additionally, there is always a need for containers and methods which improve the shelf life, appearance, and freshness of perishable products such as fruits and vegetables.